


Gingerbread

by sloansjcap



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-17 19:06:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13083420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sloansjcap/pseuds/sloansjcap
Summary: Mark & Lexie's first Christmas with Sofia and since they got back together. This is a spin-off of 'Coming Home' (found under sloansjcap on ffnet) but can be read as a stand-alone too! Fourth and final chapter will be posted either on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.





	1. Snow

“Doctor Grey, I’ll let you do the honours.” Mark placed his hand on the small of Lexie’s back, the need for intimacy being stronger than the professional standards that every other couple on the hospital staff managed to uphold. 

“Okay. I’m going to hold the mirror up now, Erin. Just remember that you’re not completely healed, but I think you’ll be impressed.” 

Mark and Lexie’s patient was about to see the work that had been done to improve the appearance of her burns. She had come into the hospital before their wedding and suffered significant injuries as the result of a house fire, but Mark had fixed her up good as new. This was the best Christmas gift that a doctor could ever give someone; a second chance. 

Lexie lifted the mirror in front of the young woman, who wasn’t much older than her, and held her breath. Burn victims and plastics patients experienced a wide range of emotions when they saw how incredible Mark and Jackson were at their jobs and this was a big moment. Her bandages now off, she gasped as she studied the left side of her body. 

“This is better than I ever expected it to be. Thank you, both of you.” Erin cried and her relief filled Lexie with warmth. Moments like this reminded her of why she’d spent so much of her life with her head buried in research and textbooks and the rest of it in hospitals.

“It could take up to two years for the discolouration to fade entirely, but from a medical perspective, the skin graft was a huge success. I’m glad you’re happy, Erin.” Mark smiled at the patient, who was still looking at her reflection. 

“Have a great Christmas!” Lexie called out as they left the room, still bursting with pride. 

Mark was now walking close behind her and she reached out to grab his hand and pull him next to her so they could walk side by side. He squeezed her hand tight, their bodies inching closer. 

It was clear to anyone looking their way that they were a couple and although there was a ban on relationships between residents or interns and their attendings, the entire staff knew that Mark and Lexie were untouchable. Even Meredith and Derek had toned it down on the public displays of affection, but these two were quite literally in the honeymoon phase.

“You’re back!” April clapped her hands together as she headed down the corridor towards them, a spring in her step. “I’ve got surgery right now, but I want to know everything about Hawaii!” 

When the eager redhead was out of sight, Mark leaned down to whisper into his wife’s ear. “You might want to keep certain things to yourself.” 

“Oh, so you mean I shouldn’t tell her about that waterfall?” Lexie smirked as they came to a stop at a nurses station. “What about the hiking trail?”   
“The waterfall was romantic, I guess. The hiking trail” he tugged on her white coat to close the distance, “was just pure filth.” He kissed along her jaw, not caring who was around to witness the act. They hadn’t exactly been on their best behaviour since the wedding, and much to the chagrin of their friends, they showed no signs of slowing down. 

“Um, Doctor Slo-” A vaguely familiar face interrupted, “I mean…Doctor Grey.” A quick glance at his name tag revealed that he was one of Lexie’s new interns and he was an extremely nervous one at that. Lex nudged Mark in the ribs when she heard him laugh at the poor guy.

“Lucas! It’s great to meet you. I’m sorry I haven’t been around to show you the ropes.” She sent her husband away with a gentle shove which was counteracted by a kiss on the cheek.

“It’s okay, Chief Webber said you’ve had a lot going on. I was just coming to report to you at the end of your shift and let you know that I’ve covered all of the work I was assigned today. I’m just going to sit with this last patient and monitor him overnight.” He looked exhausted. 

“I know you want to give this job every ounce of your time and energy, but it’s Christmas! I’m sure you’d rather go home to your family, right? There are people who are specifically scheduled to take over your shift tonight, Doctor Miller. I’m telling you to go home.”

“O-okay. Thank you, Doctor Grey. Merry Christmas, if I don’t see you before then!” The intern smiled and Lexie let her mind wander. 

This time of year had always meant a lot to her, but even more so now that she and Mark were married and his kids were in the picture. Almost losing him in that car accident had been a wake-up call and she was in a very giving mood, not being quite as strict with her interns as Bailey had been with her. 

“I’m back.” Mark crept up behind her and put his hands on her hips. “I saw that exchange and I’ve gotta say, I thought you were gonna earn yourself a badass nickname as a resident but I’m pleasantly surprised that you’ve chosen the other end of the spectrum.”

“I will flip like a switch if they put a foot wrong, don’t you worry.” 

“I like dominant Lexie, so can we please go home where I can have her all to myself?” 

—

Lexie settled into the passenger seat and put her feet up on the dash, a habit she’d grown fond of just because it got on Mark’s nerves but he never said anything. As he adjusted the seat and checked the car over, a habit of his own following the accident, he looked over at her and sighed. 

“I’m gonna teach you to drive one day and you’re gonna have your own car, and I will get fast food wrappers everywhere and mud all up on the plastic.” 

“I’m not that bad!” She feigned shock, “However I am going to have to ask you to take me to Starbucks. I need coffee in my system, especially if we’re going to be up all night.” 

“Okay.” He swiftly moved her legs before starting the engine and she smiled, aware of his paranoia. Despite the accident being his fault and a consequence of the alcohol that had been in his system, he was very conscious of their safety. Lexie sort of wished she could drive so he wouldn’t have all of that weighing down on him. 

“Actually,” she looked out at the snow that was starting to fall, “I don’t mind having coffee from home instead if you don’t think we’ll make it back before the snow gets heavier.” 

“We’ll do drive-thru, should be fast enough.” He leaned over to kiss her, which she noticed he now did every time they were going to be apart or they were about to drive. She didn’t reassure him because if she was being honest, she was just as fearful. 

The festive season was their favourite and in the time that they’d known each other, Mark and Lexie had only spent one of them miserable and alone. She had wanted to take him to New York this year but she figured it would hit a little close to home considering that’s where she’d gone when they broke up, and that’s where her rebound ex-boyfriend was. Still, nothing could beat it.

“Oh! They have reindeer cups!” She squealed as they pulled up at their local coffee chain. 

Mark laughed at her excitement and rolled down the window. “Can I get two regular gingerbread lattes, please? Make sure they’re in the festive cups.” 

“That’s how you know it’s Christmas; they start giving out the new designs. Trust me, Mark. I’ve been living by these guidelines for three years. The first day I get a cup with a snowflake or something on it, I’m ready to put up the tree.” 

“We could’ve spent Christmas in Hawaii, why didn’t we think of that?” He sighed. 

“I did think of that, but this is your first Christmas with Sofia.” 

“Sof would’ve loved Hawaii! Imagine her first trip to the beach being on a beautiful Hawaiian island, surrounded by nature. Waking up on Christmas Day in a resort, breakfast prepared, and going for a swim.” He was getting carried away. Their honeymoon had been their first real trip away as a couple that didn’t involve a cabin in the woods for two days, and they’d found themselves wishing they didn’t have to come back to Seattle. 

“She’s not even a year old yet!” Lexie took the cups from him and laughed when he responded by throwing the straws and napkins in her direction. “Next year, maybe.” Hitting a speed bump, Lexie had to act fast to prevent the hot coffee spilling over her. 

“I’ll go slower over the next one.” Mark grimaced. “Lex, this snow is really coming down now.” 

“We’re miles from home, should we park up?” He had underestimated the weather, just like he usually did. The wipers were going crazy but were doing little to help clear the windscreen.

“Meredith and Derek’s is minutes away, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if we spend the night. We can sleep on the couch and if we’ve gotta walk home tomorrow, we’ll do that.” 

Lexie raised her eyebrow at him and looked at him like he’d grown a second head. It would take an hour to walk between the two houses in normal weather conditions, but in the snow and ice they were going to have a battle ahead of them. She’d have to go along with it, though. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve which meant they had to be home for Sofia, and then they had to get over to Callie and Arizona’s the next day. 

Driving up to her sister’s house, she was surprised at how fast the snow had settled on the ground. Showing up unannounced was definitely a better option than being stuck out on the roads on an empty stomach. Mark found a space and switched the engine off. 

“Don’t get out of the car yet.” She reached out and grabbed Mark’s arm before he could open the door fully. “They don’t know we’re here and they can’t see us from the window, so how about we stay in here a little longer? This is our last night just us for a few days and, you know,” she began unclipping her seatbelt, “you said you wanted me to yourself.” 

“You’re right,” He locked the car again and turned the overhead lights off, “I did say that.”

Taking that as her invitation, Lexie moved across to the driver’s side as elegantly as she could and straddled him. His hands immediately found her waist and pulled her closer as she attempted to find the lever to push the seat back slightly. They were experts at last minute car sex, but it was usually in the backseat in the parking lot of the hospital. 

Mark ran his hands under her sweater, feeling how cold her skin was. Shifting forward, he turned the heater up as high as it would go. No amount of body heat was going to help them out here, plus now they had a higher chance of the windows steaming up and giving them privacy.

He lifted his head up and she leaned down to meet him halfway, her lips crashing down on his. Allowing him access, he deepened the kiss. Lexie set to work unbuttoning his shirt but only got as far as the third one down before she gave in to temptation and started grinding against him. He clutched at the material of her jeans, laughing as he struggled to remove them in such a refined space. 

His hands started to travel back up to her top half but she stopped him, guiding him between her legs. She didn’t care about her sweater anymore, or his shirt for that matter. Her attention was solely on the pulsating feeling below. 

Lexie shivered as Mark pulled her underwear down and made contact, pressing his palm against her while he kissed her neck. She began to move her hips, matching his pace as she tried and failed to unbuckle his belt. She threw her head back and moaned as he moved his hand faster, knowing exactly what would send her over the edge, but she didn’t let him get her that far. 

“Wait,” she breathed out, “not yet.” He removed his hand and waited for her to shift her weight, making it easier for her to return the favour. Foreplay was their bedroom speciality but tonight, they didn’t have enough time to soak it all in and they definitely didn’t have the willpower. 

“I don’t need a helping hand, Lex.” He smirked as her hand closed around him and she realised that they might as well just go for it. “This is what sexual frustration looks like.”

“As if we haven’t had enough sex since the wedding to last us the next five years.” Lexie grinned and lowered onto him, catching him off guard. With her being on top, he had little to no control over her movements and she made sure she took advantage of that. 

She ran her hands across his chest and clutched at his shirt as she rode him, moving faster the more he moaned. The noises coming from him were driving her insane and she knew she wouldn’t last much longer. His teeth grazed her bottom lip and she whimpered, his hands roaming every inch of her body. 

Lexie slowed down to an agonising pace, lifting herself off him almost completely before sinking back down again. Repeating this a few times, she watched his jaw clench and she knew he was close. She gasped when she felt his hand on her clit, moving his fingers in circular motions. 

This was what Mark Sloan was best at; find her sweet spot. He got it within seconds every single time they were in this situation and it always lead to multiple rounds of sex. The two of them shared impressive levels of stamina.

Mark closed his eyes as she sped up again until she matched his rhythm. Not able to hold it in any longer, Lexie’s body began to twitch. She felt the release as he buried himself deep inside her and they came simultaneously. He leaned his head back against the seat and took a deep breath, a smile creeping onto his face.

“We really should head inside before we get snowed in here.” He whispered, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. Mark kissed her gently and started buttoning his shirt up as Lexie grabbed her jeans from the passenger seat and moved to squeeze back into them. 

“I’m ready, let’s go.” 

—

“Derek!” Walking through the door without knocking, Mark called out to his friend. He kicked his shoes off and shoved them in a cupboard before taking Lexie’s coat and hanging it up. 

“Make yourselves at home.” Derek rolled his eyes as he appeared in the hall, Zola in his arms. She was wearing Christmas pyjamas and Lexie’s heart melted at the sight. She remembered the first Christmas they’d had her in the family and how everyone had spoiled her rotten, even though she was still a little too young to comprehend what was happening. 

“Hi, Zo!” Lexie beamed at her niece and took her from Derek, heading into the kitchen. Mark trailed after them, pulling faces at Zola to keep her amused. 

Meredith, Alex and Jo were rushing around the kitchen in a panic, most likely searching for ingredients to conjure up their version of a nutritious meal. Lexie assumed they’d been planning on takeout food considering the fact that it was already seven and they’d made no progress. 

“You guys want to stay for dinner?” Derek sat down at the table, refusing to participate. 

“Uh, we were hoping we could stay overnight. The snow is too heavy to drive home and I don’t want to take risks.” Mark joined their friends and found some pasta in the first cupboard he opened, holding it up in victory. “There you go, dinner is sorted.”

“Stay as long as you want, Karev moved into Jo’s room permanently so the attic is free.” Meredith took the pasta from Mark and started boiling the water. 

“Yeah but please, do us all a favour and keep quiet.” Alex pointed a spatula at them. 

“Don’t worry, Karev. We got it out of our systems a few minutes ago.” 

“A few minutes ago?” Jo quizzed but it soon clicked. “Oh. You’re still at it, huh?” 

“When are we not?” Mark leaned against the counter and smirked at his wife, causing her to blush furiously. She was all for public displays of affection but she had to be in the right mood and talking about her sex life in her sister’s kitchen, in the presence of her niece, wasn’t ideal. 

“I’m gonna take Zola out to play in the snow.” She declared. “Mark, go get her hat and gloves and her snow boots, I don’t want her to freeze out there but I’m determined to teach her how to make a killer snow angel.” 

Lexie left everyone in the kitchen and set Zola down on the bottom step, taking each item from Mark as he passed them to her. She was comparing her experience as Zola’s Aunt to her experience as a Mom and so far, she was finding that there weren’t many differences. 

“Uncle Mark,” Zola looked up at him, “Outside?”

Mark hesitated, having wanted to go and enjoy a beer with Alex and Derek, but her pleading little face stole his heart and he shrugged his coat on. He couldn’t wait for his youngest daughter to reach this age. He’d never been there to raise Sloan so Zola was his first glimpse at what it was like to take care of a walking, talking toddler.

The three of them stepped out into the bitter air, watching their niece run through the snow in the front yard. They joined her and Mark laughed as he watched them both catch snowflakes on their tongues. Lexie gathered some snow from the ground and showed Zola how to create a snowball, encouraging her to throw it at Derek who had followed them out. 

It didn’t take long for the rest of the household to be out there with them, resulting in a mass snowball fight. It was Lexie, Mer and Jo versus Derek, Mark and Alex. The doctors never got to do this. At least one of them was on shift but this was the first year that they were all together in the lead-up to Christmas, and now they had Zola to keep occupied. It was the perfect excuse to let their hair down, another reason to be happy. 

The battle ended with Zola in hysterics, having just hit Alex in the face. Lexie was watching the scene unfold from the porch. Mark shuffled over to her and wrapped his arms around her from behind. He noticed how spaced out she looked, in her own little world. 

“You alright, Little Grey?” 

“I’m just thinking about how we’ve got all this to come with Sofia.” 

—

“I can’t believe you’ve never done this before, it’s a traditional Christmas activity.” Lexie was showing Jo how to construct the perfect gingerbread house with surgical precision. 

“I tried to convince Alex last year, but he said no because he doesn’t like gingerbread.” 

“I’ll set Mark on him for next year, he’ll be like Mrs Claus in no time.” 

“Lexie?” Jo stopped icing the roof and looked at her friend. “I never told you this, but I’m so happy that you’re happy. You and Mark have been through so much and you’ve come out stronger than any couple I know. It was about time you two had a chance.” She smiled.

“Thanks, Jo.” Lexie’s eyes wandered over to Mark who was lifting Zola up to place the star on top of the tree. He took his duties as an Uncle as seriously as his role of a Father and it had earned him a significant place within the Grey-Shepherd festivities. 

Putting the finishing touches on the gingerbread house, the girls moved into the family room with their glasses of wine. Lexie passed one to her sister.

The Grey sisters hadn’t grown up together and sometimes, the youngest of the three felt guilty for the childhood traditions she’d experienced with her’s and Meredith’s Father. He wasn’t in their life anymore, after Lexie realised how badly he had treated his oldest daughter, and her Mom had passed a few years ago but she had naively assumed that Molly would be around to share these moments with their newly-discovered sibling. 

Still, she was thankful that she had a lifetime of tree decorating and snowman building to look forward to with Mer. 

“Oh! Derek, have you got those new decorations?” Meredith placed her glass down on the coffee table and grinned at their guests, sparking curiosity. Her husband left the room and returned a few minutes later with a box. 

“Mark, Lex, gather round.” He stood next to Mark and gestured for Lexie to head over. “So, Karev and Wilson got theirs last night when the tree first went up but we have a little surprise for you both.” He opened the box to reveal four red baubles, each with a name on them in white glitter.

“One for every member of the Grey-Sloan family. Mark, Lexie, Sloan and Sofia.” Meredith smiled at the couple. Mark looked shocked as he took his own out of the tissue paper and held it up.

“For the kids, too?” His voice was barely a whisper. 

“Mark, we grew up together. You’re my best friend despite all the crap we’ve been through. I know we’re not close with Sloan but she means the world to you and that makes her our family too, and as for Sofia, she’s gonna be stuck with us all for a long time.” Derek embraced his friend in a warm hug. “And Lexie Grey, you belong in this family and you should’ve been part of Meredith’s life from the start.”

“We just wanted you to know how much we value you, all of you.”

“Once you’re in, there’s no getting out.” Alex laughed and took his girlfriend by the hand, pulling her over to the rest of the group. He was right, the people in this room shared an unbreakable bond that extended to a large group of fellow doctors. Even those who didn’t have a family could still say that they belonged to one. 

“I’d like to raise a toast,” Lexie held her glass high and leaned into Mark’s side, “to Seattle Grace.”

“To Seattle Grace!”

— 

It was hours past Zola’s bedtime and the excitement of the snow had worn off, leaving her exhausted. Alex and Jo had crashed not long after dinner and Meredith and Derek were upstairs reading to their daughter, not that she needed much coaxing to get to sleep. 

That left Mark and Lexie on the couch and they felt as mischievous as the days when nobody knew they were dating. Dirty Dancing was on and for once, the comparison between Mark and Johnny Castle didn’t lead to heartbroken tears. Lexie should’ve been enjoying the movie but a certain someone couldn’t keep his hands off her. 

“If they come down here, we’ll never hear the end of it.” She giggled. 

“It’s only kissing, Lex. Unless you wanted to escalate things…” His hand traced the inside of her thigh and even through the thick denim, the sensation was doing things to her. 

“I love you and I’m tempted, but not here.” Lexie sighed and rested her head on his chest, repositioning so that it was more difficult for him to tease her. 

“I get it, I don’t feel totally comfortable with a little one in the house. Thank God we won’t have Sofia at our place all the time.” He wrapped his arms round her and held her against him. These were the moments they didn’t want to waste. Mark couldn’t handle the thought of not having her with him now, not after all the obstacles that had been thrown their way. 

“You two decent?” Meredith walked in and settled on the couch opposite, Derek following with more beer and snacks.

“Do we need to remind you of what you got up to after your own wedding?” Lexie shot back. She was still traumatised by things she could never erase from her memory. 

“Valid point.” Derek rolled his eyes, throwing a cashew in their direction. 

“Hey,” Mark’s tone was more serious, “thank you. The tree decorations mean a lot to us.” He looked at the tree where the four baubles were hanging among some of the classic Shepherd family ornaments. They fit in perfectly.

Meredith nodded and grinned at them, “You can have your own stockings next year if you make Santa’s nice list.” 

The snow was still falling and Lexie was watching the flakes hit the window. If you had told her this time last year that she’d be in Mark’s arms next to the fireplace with her closest loved ones across the room, the smell of cookie dough and cinnamon filling the air, she never would’ve believed it. She also never would’ve believed that she’d be spending it with Mark’s kids.

—

“Are you still awake?” Lexie whispered into the darkness. 

“Mmm.” Mark mumbled into the pillow, one arm stretched across her body in an attempt to be affectionate despite his tired state. 

“What was your best Christmas?” 

He sat up straight and blinked a few times until his eyes adjusted to the light. “You first.” He spoke louder than her, his voice deep enough to still be quiet. 

“I was twelve. My Grandma had just passed away and Molly and I, we were a mess. We hadn’t lasted a single day without breaking down in tears and Mom was trying to hold it together, but Dad was the only one who was even a little bit okay.” Lexie sighed at the memory.

“This doesn’t sound like a good Christmas, Little Grey.”

“It gets better, I promise.” She pulled him back down and snuggled into him. “Anyway, Dad dressed up as Santa for the first time since we were little kids. He took us into the kitchen after we opened our presents and he’d begun preparing the whole dinner so Mom didn’t have to. He’d also organised baking activities because until that year, we’d always done that as a family on Christmas Eve. I remember Mom laughed so much that day, she was just so happy to take her mind off missing Grandma.”

Mark kissed the top of her head and smoothed his hand over her hair. “Your Mom and Grandma would so proud of you, Lex.” 

“Your turn.” She wiped her tears with her sleeve. 

“Mine was when I was fourteen. The Shepherd’s invited me to spend it with them, again, and I took them up on the offer only this time, they’d waited to put the big tree up in the hall. When we finished, Derek’s Mom showed me the guest bedroom that she’d put movie posters and things in and she told me it was all mine. I had somewhere to go when things got tough at home. That was the first time I’d ever decorated a Christmas tree, first time I’d felt like part of a real family.”

“Is that why it meant so much that Mer and Derek got the baubles for us?” 

“Yeah.” He smiled and stroked her cheek. “I love you, Lexie. What we’re getting this year with each other and our kids and our friends and the snow, this is how Christmas should be. I don’t ever want to spend it any other way.”


	2. The Grinch

“Good morning, Alexandra Grey-Sloan.” Mark entered the kitchen to find his wife making coffee, a warm smile crossing her face when he used his last name to address her.

“Hi,” she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him when he joined her at the counter, “you want some?”

“Please. I don’t know what time we fell asleep last night but I feel like I’ve just worked a forty-eight hour shift.” He sighed. He had worked twelve hours before they got to Meredith and Derek’s but before that, he’d been working alternate days following their return from the honeymoon.

“Yeah, well, we’ve been rushing around to get gifts for everyone and we’ve been decorating, plus traveling knocks it out of you, so I’m not surprised.” Lexie squeezed his shoulder and passed him a mug of steaming hot liquid. He took it gratefully and sipped it, despite knowing it would burn.

She finished pouring coffee into the remaining mugs and pushed them to the other side of the counter so they’d be in the perfect position when the rest of the household sat down.

“You’re a lifesaver, Lexie.” Derek wandered in, rested his head on the wooden surface and closed his eyes again, Zola tugging on his sleeve to be lifted up onto his lap.

Mark felt a sudden burst of excitement at the prospect of seeing his own daughter later and giving her the Christmas sweater that matched the ones he’d purchased for himself and Lex. He’d always thought the whole matching sweaters thing was ridiculous but now that his family was complete, he wanted to go the extra mile.

“It’s not snowing anymore.” He commented, glancing outside. “I think we should head off while we can, we’ve gotta be back just before eleven and it’s already nine-thirty.”

“Okay.” Lexie nodded in agreement and drank the rest of her coffee, taking Mark’s mug when he was finished and putting it in the sink with hers.

“Do you have time for breakfast?” Meredith asked.

“I’ll leave it up to Lex, depends how much gift-wrapping she’s got left, too.” Mark was useless when it came to those things and he always ended up ripping the paper or being too generous with the tape, so he’d left it to her once they’d started giving out gifts as a couple.

“I haven’t even started.” Lexie grimaced. “All of yours are under the tree, Meredith, but I still have to do Callie’s, Arizona’s, Sofia’s, April’s…”

“And I thought I was unorganised this year.” The oldest Grey sibling laughed at her Sister’s misfortune and stood up, nudging Karev who had fallen asleep in an upright position. “Mark and Lexie are leaving and we’re not going to see them until the new year, you coming to send them off?”

“What am I, their Grandmother?” He raised an eyebrow. “It’s cold out on the porch.”

“Put a jacket on, Alex.” Jo ruffled his hair, bringing him out of his daze to fix it and encouraging him to move. The remaining members of the household headed out into the hall and shoved scarves and snow boots on in a desperate attempt to keep reasonably warm.

Karev followed them after a slight delay and groaned when the door opened and exposed everyone to the icy wind. Mark stood next to him while Lexie said her goodbyes. He felt guilty over her spending Christmas without them for the first time since she’d met them, although it had been her idea for her and Mark to join Sofia’s moms and make it memorable for the new parents.

“I’m gonna miss you.” She spoke softly as she hugged Meredith.

“I know, I’ll miss you too. Have an amazing time with Sofia and make sure you enjoy every second, okay? They grow up faster than you think.” Meredith addressed both of them.

“See you in the New Year!” Derek waved as the couple made their way down the porch and to the sidewalk, where they’d left the car. “Don’t fall off any mountains in Montana!”

Mark scoffed and turned to face his friend, raising his voice so he could be heard just before the door closed. “Lex and I are so good, we could be Olympic skiers!”

“You speak for yourself.” Lexie blushed, feeling self-conscious after their previous trip when she’d fallen into April and created a huge scene. It had been in front of hundreds of people near the queues for the ski lift and of course, Mark and Jackson had unintentionally recorded the whole thing on their go-pros and sent it to all their friends.

“I’ll be there to catch you if you fall, Little Grey.” He winked.

“Shut up.”

“I’m your attending, you can’t tell me to shut up.” Mark countered, opening the passenger door for her and kissing her on the cheek. He left her in shock as he walked round to the driver’s side, laughing to himself.

“I can’t believe you just used that line on me again, after all this time.” She clipped her seatbelt in and shuffled until she was comfortable, ready for the journey back to his house. _Their_ house.

He leaned back and rested on the headrest, looking over at her. Her expression was mischievous, her playful side in full tact this morning. He was so in love with her. Mark had hit the jackpot with Lexie Grey and moments like this reminded him of how far they’d come, of how lucky he was to have someone who made him feel like he belonged somewhere.

“Home we go.” He cleared his throat. “I’m just glad there’s no ice on the roads.

“Are you sure it’s safe to drive? The snow is pretty deep, Mark.” She was visibly terrified and he couldn’t blame her. He wasn’t exactly feeling confident, either.

“Lex, I promise. I’ll drive slow and if it’s too bad, we’ll get out and walk the rest of the way. We can’t live the rest of our lives in fear and let the accident control us. I was drunk when I hit that tree, and I wasn’t thinking or seeing straight. Right now, I’m focused.” He placed his hand on her knee and she gripped hold of it, her knuckles white. “We’re okay.”

“I’m learning to drive in January, okay?”

—

It had taken almost an hour for them to make it home, but that was only because Mark had kept stopping to take deep breaths. Part of him felt like he shouldn’t be driving yet, although he’d been fine for weeks until the snow hit. He hated seeming weak because he didn’t want to scare Lexie, but she’d assured him that she understood and they could get over their mutual fears together.

“Torres and Robbins are coming down the street right this second, I can see them in my rearview mirror. Our timing is impeccable, Grey.” He was practically bouncing in his seat at the sight of his daughter’s stroller being pushed along by Arizona.

“Morning!” Lexie shot out of the car as they reached the end of the drive and went straight to Sofia. Mark was right behind, chuckling at her little reindeer hat.

“Hi! How was Hawaii?” Callie asked.

“Incredible. Do you want to come in for breakfast? We haven’t eaten yet.” Mark gestured to the front door and started taking bags from them while Lexie searched her pockets for her key.

“As long as you have maple syrup.” Arizona clapped her hands together enthusiastically and waited for Mark to carry the stroller up the steps. He had considered switching to a ramp, but it would ruin the whole aesthetic of the porch and he was determined that he could put up with the slight inconvenience.

The door swung open to reveal the first of Mark and Lexie’s two trees. They’d gone overboard, just as they always did, and it earned appreciative gasps from their friends. Lexie rushed to flip a switch and the fairy lights wrapped around the stair bannister lit up and brought the room together, creating a warm glow.

“You really know how to do Christmas, I’m impressed.” Callie lifted her daughter up, blankets still wrapped around her. “Look what your Mom and Dad did for you, Sof! You get to wake up to this for the next eighteen years and then one day, you’ll have your own apartment and you’ll be doing it all yourself.” She started sobbing and kissed the top of her head.

The sentimental aspects of the festive period were hitting the four parents with full force. None of them had planned for Sofia to come into this world and to be raising a child together, as two separate couples, but it had happened and it was working. The familial bond that was shared between so many of the doctors at Seattle Grace had worked its magic.

Mark hadn’t been accommodating of Arizona at first out of fear that Callie was making a mistake by getting back with her, and then they’d found out about the pregnancy and he was bitter. He thought he, as the single Father, was going to be pushed out but it had been Arizona who had ensured he felt involved in every decision. When Lexie came back from New York after leaving Xavier and Mark had woken up from his coma, they had somehow all fit together.

“D-do you think that she’ll call me Mom?”

“Of course!” Arizona shoved the stroller to one side so she could move over to her and wrap her in a comforting embrace, “Lexie, you are her Mom.”

“Damn right, you are. Imagine having three maternal figures plus all the Aunties she’s got and the cousins she’s gonna have and the half-sister who’s like, old enough to be her Mother. This little girl is the luckiest kid in the world.” Callie wiped her eyes.

“Okay, ladies. Let me whip up some breakfast.” Mark laughed at the three women who were all fighting their emotions and left them to fuss over Sofia while he set to work on gathering ingredients.

“Hey, Mark?” Arizona came in and joined him at the stove. “We were thinking that we could leave Sofia here tonight and you and Lexie could bring her over tomorrow morning instead of us taking her home later.”

“Are you serious?” He turned to face her, his eyes lit up.

Their custody agreement was perfectly balanced and this was their week, so he hadn’t expected them to give him such an important day with her.

“Yes! You’ve had a tough year, you deserve this. Come on, those two are discussing cinnamon scented candles so they’re not gonna be much help with cooking this morning.”

—

Sofia was down for her morning nap, which left plenty of time for Mark and Lexie to reveal everything about the honeymoon to their friends. Yes, that included a graphic description of their…adventures, at the waterfall and on the hiking trail…and on the flight home.

When Lexie started dating Mark, she’d been insecure about his history with Callie and she never would’ve dared to openly discuss her sex life with someone who knew exactly what she was talking about. Then the on-call room incident happened and she’d had to ask for help, and all the Sloan and Xavier and New York drama happened and Callie and Arizona had been a great support system. Now, nothing was off-limits, but it didn’t stop the younger doctor’s natural discomfort and the blush across her cheeks when her husband disclosed every minute detail.

“But how does plane sex work? Those bathrooms are tiny, I’ve never really understood.” Arizona was curious, mulling over the technicalities.

“You just have to be flexible.” Mark smirked.

“Okay, okay. Can we move on?” Callie came to Lexie’s rescue. They’d somehow been on the topic for a whole twenty-five minutes and it was beginning to veer towards her’s and Arizona’s own bedroom antics, which they weren’t quite so open about.

Lexie poured another glass of wine for herself and Arizona. It was only midday but they were taking full advantage of their lack of work and the Christmas period and letting the alcohol flow.

“So, uh, Sloan cancelled on us. She’s staying with her Mom.”

“What? I thought she was excited! She was texting us and asking if we wanted her to bring anything over for Christmas dinner and telling us about the traditions from when she was growing up that she wanted us all to share with Sofia.” Arizona was confused and she glanced at Lexie, who looked concerned.

“I got a text during breakfast that said she wasn’t coming.” Mark was staring at the carpet, his expression screaming ‘misery’. “I just don’t get it, you know? Her relationship with her Mom was almost non-existent from when she found out she was pregnant and I mean, that’s why she came to Seattle to find me. We had a great relationship while Lex was gone and ever since she came back from New York the first time, things have been great between her and Sloan and I’m talking really great.”

“Yeah and we talk about things and we Skype as often as we can and I was helping her with an assignment just last week. She can’t stand Samantha, it doesn’t make sense.” Lexie bit the inside of her cheek, deep in thought.

“Is it about her son? Austin? Maybe she doesn’t want to be in Seattle because he’s here and she’s not raising him as her own. It could be a guilt thing.”

“I didn’t think of that.” Mark sighed. “She didn’t take Addison up on her offer of spending Christmas with her and Jake and Henry, either.”

Lexie kept quiet. Although she was close with her step-daughter these days, she had felt since Mark was in the coma that Sloan was afraid of taking too much time away from the couple. She was at college a lot but she was close enough to drive home on weekends, and apart from a dress fitting and the wedding itself, she hadn’t.

She wasn’t so sure that Sloan’s sudden cancellation was because of her son. Lexie had a sinking feeling that it was more a case of her not feeling like she should be part of the family.

“It sucks that we won’t be here for New Year’s Eve, I can’t believe they’re coming all the way here and we’re gonna miss them.” Lexie sulked. That was the downside of their trip to Montana with Jackson and April; they weren’t going to be there for the big reunion with Addison and her family and Amelia and Derek’s mom.

En route to Hawaii, Mark and Lexie had made a detour to Los Angeles to visit Mark’s former flame. She hadn’t been able to make it to the wedding and she was pretty upset about it, so they’d taken copies of the photos and videos to her. Regardless of Addison’s previous teasing when it came to newlywed couple’s age gap, she had seen the love they shared and she was rooting for them. Getting to know her had given Lexie more insight into both Mark’s and Derek’s pasts and she’d loved hearing stories.

Lexie had to face that at the end of the day, Addie had been there for Mark and his oldest daughter when she personally hadn’t had the emotional capacity to do so. Once they got over that initial grudge, they found that they had a lot in common.

“Well, I was planning on convincing them to stay a little longer so you might make it back in time to hang out for a couple of days.” Callie reached for the baby monitor when she heard movement and shushed everyone.

“I’ll get her.” Lexie rose from her seat and darted to the stairs. Her friends’ reassurance of her right to be Sofia’s mother had made her even more excited to do all the standard parental duties, and she was becoming less and less afraid of growing attached. Well, it was too late for that, but now she could avoid the dread.

Walking into the nursery, she crouched down next to the crib. Sofia was awake but she stopped crying the second they made eye contact. Lexie noticed that she seemed to have that effect on her; it was like they had a connection. Mark had taken to sending his wife to check on her each time, aware that simply rocking her back to sleep wouldn’t do the trick.

She picked Sofia up and held her against her chest, humming gently and kissing the top of her head. It was incredible how much she’d grown in the short time that Lexie had known her, and she was finally big enough to wear the knitted sweaters that Mark had gotten for her when she was born. When they’d first come home from the hospital when Mark was discharged, he had shown off Sofia’s closet with pride and Lex had joined in on the fun and added to it.

Treading carefully down the stairs to avoid the risk of tripping with the little one in her arms, Lexie took her into the lounge where Callie and Arizona were getting ready to leave.

“We’re leaving you three to watch those crappy Christmas movies you love.” Arizona grabbed her wine glass and downed the rest of the liquid. She was going to struggle walking home without ending up in a hedge, but, it was Christmas. The ocassion called for being tipsy.

“I’ll have you know that National Lampoons Christmas Vacation is a classic!” Mark protested, pretending to be deeply hurt by the insult. Perhaps he really was hurt; he took his festive film choices very seriously which Lexie had learned the hard way. She had mentioned vaguely that she didn’t like Elf and he had watched it on his own, in the bedroom with the door shut, refusing to speak to her when she came in to check on him.

“We’ll agree to disagree on that.” Callie laughed and patted him on the shoulder. “We’ll see you tomorrow bright and early. Like, super early. Seven-thirty. Please don’t be late.” Callie pleaded. For someone who was unorganised when it came to cooking and getting meals ready at the right time, she certainly seemed to be pushing a schedule on them.

“You have nothing to worry about, we’ll be there.” Lexie assured her.

“Oh, we trust you, Lex. We just don’t trust Mark and his sex drive.” Arizona chirped and once again left her friend blushing wildly. “Have a good night!”

—

Hours had passed and Lexie had only just finished wrapping all of the gifts she’d been storing under her’s and Mark’s bed. She was under strict instructions not to enter the guest bedroom because her gift was too big to wrap and therefore keep hidden. Mark had made it clear that Christmas would be ruined if she even put her hand on the door handle.

“Babe? Are you done?” Mark called from the bottom of the stairs, clutching a glass of eggnog.

He had been sat on the couch with Sofia watching cartoons all afternoon and he was getting tired of waiting for his wife to finish perfecting the arrangement of ribbons and all the things he didn’t even attempt to do for her gifts. He had explicitly told her this in an attempt to stop her fussing, but she took this as seriously as he took the whole film situation.

“I’ll be there in two minutes!” She put the gifts in the back of the closet, moving the largest one to the back so he couldn’t figure out what it was. For someone like Mark, it would be obvious if he looked at the shape for even a second.

“Welcome back to the ribbon-free zone.” Mark grinned and wrapped his arms round her waist.

Lexie smoothed her hands over his chest, laughing at the gingerbread men on his sweater. He tugged her closer and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek but she held his jaw and moved in for a real kiss. This wasn’t like last night when they’d been unable to control themselves. Tonight, it was slow and soft and they were savouring it, really focusing on the moment.

“Can we watch The Grinch?” She leaned her head on his chest and listened to his breathing.

Taking her by the hand and guiding her back to the couch, he lifted Sofia from her play mat and settled into a comfortable position amongst the cushions next to his wife. Sofia was sprawled across both of their laps and he had his arm around Lex, rubbing her shoulder while she snuggled up against him. He hit play on the remote, resting his head on top of hers.

“Sofia, we’re about to introduce you another classic. You might be scared of this guy when you get a little older but I promise he’s got a good heart, okay?” Mark lowered his voice and stroked her hair, remembering how traumatised Zola had been and still was.

“You remind me of him.” Lexie giggled.

“Wh-” Mark was speechless. “I remind you of some weird green monster thing who hates Christmas and other human beings…Okay I can see where you’re coming from but please, expand.”

Lexie twisted to look at him when he paused the film during the opening credits. He was genuinely confused but she’d been thinking this for years, she’d just never told him.

“You had a rough childhood. You never really liked Christmas until the Shepherd’s took you in and then you loved everything about it. The decorations, the food, giving gifts. All of it. But then, everyone grew up and moved on with their lives and you were kinda left alone again, until I came into your life and we were happy.”

“Oh, you really think you had that much of an impact?” He teased.

“Of course I did. Anyway, you weren’t alone anymore and we made new traditions and you fell in love with Christmas all over again. That’s similar to the Grinch’s experience, right? He just needed a little love and nurturing.” Lexie nestled back down but she felt Mark’s chest rise and fall with laughter.

“I guess you’re right. And you’ve always been like little Cindy Lou Who.” He added. “I’m gonna call you that, now. No more Little Grey.”

“No way. I’m not gonna start calling you Grinch! Besides, you’ve become more of a Clark Griswald type, especially this year.”

“Okay, you can keep your nickname, Little Grey. I was about to call you Little Sloan since, you know, your name actually ends with mine now. Lexie Grey-Sloan.” He was bursting at the seams, still over the moon that she’d combined the two.

“Please, not Little Sloan. I will change my name right back to Lexie Grey and disassociate myself from you entirely and don’t think I won’t.”

“Oh…damn, I’m having flashbacks. I have Derek’s voice inside my head saying “keep Little Sloan out of Little Grey”” Mark shivered, remembering his friend’s warning back in the day.

Sofia stirred, whining at the lack of noise coming from the TV. It turned out that her tiny little brain had actually been paying attention to what was happening on the screen. Lexie scooped her up and kissed her nose, turning her to face the seemingly not-so-scary green creature again.

“I love you, Mark. You’ll always be my favourite Grinch.”


	3. Gifts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays! I'm sorry that you don't have the fourth and final chapter yet, I unexpectedly had friends over on the night I was planning to write more. I hope you enjoy this one, I'll do my best to upload the fourth in the next couple of days! 

Lexie had been staring at the ceiling for an hour but she hadn’t woken Mark up yet. He was laying like a starfish, leaving her with minimal space, but she was focusing on the sound of his breathing to take her mind off how hurt she was feeling. She hadn’t thought about Thatcher Grey for a long time, not since her Mom had passed and he’d started drinking and she’d seen his true colours. 

This year was different, though. This Christmas held a lot more sentimental value for her. Her Father not being at her Wedding, walking her down the aisle, hadn’t been a big deal. She’d had Derek and Chief Webber taking on the role of her protectors. Christmas was a different story. How could she not miss him when twenty plus years had been spent at home with the family she’d grown up with? He should be here, sober, to share this with her. Lexie was all for making new traditions, but it stung. 

“Lex?” Mark stretched his arms above his head and twisted his body, groaning as various joints clicked. It wasn’t a sign of age, but it was definitely a sign that he was a surgeon who spent hours on end stood in one position. His body didn’t thank him for it. Lexie had the same problem, but more because she’d spent so much of her life so far hunched over textbooks and medical journals. 

“Merry Christmas.” She smiled at him and pulled the covers up under her chin. 

“How long have you been awake?” His eyes were still closed but his head was turned toward her.

“A while. I was just thinking about Thatcher.” As someone who’d grown up with emotionally distant parents and had cut off contact when he started med school, Mark understood exactly how she felt. 

“You wishing he was here?” He opened his eyes to look at her and offered a comforting gaze. 

“Yeah, but then I remember how badly he treated Meredith and how quickly he turned on me. I know some of it was the alcohol but he abandoned one of his kids. Just walked out on her and didn’t bother to come back into her life until his golden child got close to her.” 

“Hey,” Mark propped himself up on one arm and hovered above her, using his free hand to stroke her hair, “if you want to call him right now and invite him to dinner with Callie and Arizona today, you go ahead. You’re the most forgiving person I know, Lex. I support whatever you want to do.” 

“I know you will, and I love you, but I think it’s just the Christmas period overwhelming me. I’ll be okay, I have you and the kids and everyone at Seattle Grace.” She raised any eyebrow at her own mention of ‘the kids’. She never thought she’d view Sloan as her daughter and although they didn’t have that kind of dynamic, she’d started to think of her like that.

However, she really did miss Molly and she wanted her in her life more than anything. It broke her heart that her sister didn’t support her and Mark.   
“I gave Arizona your Mom’s recipe for the stuffing. I found it in the drawer and I thought you might appreciate bringing a little bit of your family into our new one. I’m also telling you this before we go so if you want to cry, you don’t have to do it in front of people.” 

Lexie was so happy she thought she might explode. Of all the small gestures he’d made over the years; the camomile tea, the reading in bed, the spontaneous weekends away, this was the most significant and the most heartwarming. He knew her like the back of his hand and he knew how important her Mom had been to her. 

“You’re amazing.” She whispered, leaning closer to give him a kiss. He lingered for a while, knowing that they’d have to get up soon. 

“Right back at you, Little Grey.” 

“Mark,” she flopped back onto the pillow and the relief she’d felt since his accident came to the surface again, “I’m so glad you stepped up and became the person you are today. Sofia won’t ever know what it’s like to not have her Dad present in her life, and Sloan never has to miss out again. They won’t ever have to feel as crap as I do right now.” 

“I wouldn’t be that person without you.” He closed his hand round hers. “I know I’ve said it before but I mean it, Lexie. I finally learned what the right thing is, how to be capable of loving someone else.”

They stayed like that for a while; smiling at each other, faces inches apart. They had come so close to missing this. If Lexie hadn’t come to her senses and left Xavier and New York far behind, she wouldn’t be laying here next to Mark, talking about their family. She couldn’t imagine doing this with anyone but him and she’d almost had it all ripped away by a combination of her misguided decision and his reckless one. 

The sound of Sofia’s screaming brought them both out of their loved-up bubble and reminded them of their responsibilities, as well as the excitement that came with having a little one in the house on Christmas morning. Neither of them had ever experienced this before and although she wouldn’t remember it, they still wanted every second of it to be devoted to making it the best first Christmas possible.

“I’ll get her!” Lexie jumped out of bed, leaving her husband to slowly stumble his way out of the bedroom and down the stairs. 

The smell of coffee filled the house while Lexie was still cradling Sofia and calming her down. She usually cried when she woke up, so this was routine. As a med student and now a doctor, Lexie had depended on coffee since she had graduated high school, and even before that it was her key to surviving exams. Parenthood was no different. She just hoped that Sofia never relied on caffeine to this extent.

“Here’s your first present, a mug. With coffee.” Mark held out a dark blue mug with a white Seattle skyline wrapped around it. “Seattle because it’s your home and it’s where we found each other, where we’re building our future, and dark blue because it won’t be long before you’re in your own dark blue scrubs, making us all even prouder of you than we already are.” 

“Thank you, Mark. I love it.” Lexie inhaled the scent and smiled appreciatively. “You ready to start opening gifts yet? I don’t know about you but I’m getting impatient.” 

Wandering lazily into the living room, Sofia started wriggling so Lexie took her over to the tree to play with the felt gingerbread man that had been one of their many new additions this year. There were so many small differences to their decorations that had been carefully selected in a mad rush of online buying.

There were now four stockings instead of two or the three that had been there the first time Sloan had been with them. Four baubles, similar to the ones that Derek and Meredith had dedicated to them on their own tree. A mountain of gifts under the tree instead of a few small ones that Mark and Lexie had bought for each other. 

Mark looked at the pile of gifts for Sloan and took a photo on his phone. “I’m sending Sloan a picture of hers, so she knows we didn’t forget about her. I know we’re going on vacation in a couple of days but she can still visit when we get back, before she heads back to college.”

“Yeah and we can host a second Christmas! I hope she does, Mark. Her absence is just,” Lexie shrugged, at a loss for words, “I don’t know, it’s just not the same without her today. I miss her.” 

“Just gotta make sure she realises she’s part of the family, huh?” Mark wrapped his arms around his wife and daughter in a warm embrace, swaying slightly to keep Sofia calm. “Okay, let’s start with Sof’s presents first!” 

Settling on the floor with their legs crossed, Lexie had Sofia on her lap and was letting Mark do all the hard work. He had picked up the first thing and was already battling some very secure tape which was no doubt a result of the expert gift-wrapping skills of Miranda Bailey. 

She’d given her a red plaid dress, black tights and black boots with instructions to wear the outfit today. The note said that Bailey never had a daughter to dress up for a special occasion and it was something she hoped Sofia’s parents would let her do for her. Lexie was glad someone had remembered that a Christmas Day outfit was supposed to be a thing, because she’d forgotten all about the concept and wasn’t sure if Callie or Arizona would be expecting her to find something.

They opened each gift one by one, Mark holding them up to a now-enthused Sofia. She had everything any kid could want. Picture books and fairytale books from Cristina and Jo, a stuffed koala from Jackson and April and one of those towels with a hood and ears to wear after a bath from Meredith and Derek. 

“Wait, there’s one more under the tree!” Lexie pointed to a small, flat package that was tucked away. Mark removed it, curious. 

“An Elvis Presley CD. It said ‘To Sofia’ on the tag…” He located the card and ripped the envelope open, wondering what a child under the age of one would do with this. 

“Who’s it from?” 

“Dear Sofia. I’ve heard the music your Mothers dance to, including Lexie, and I’m not sure that your Dad can be trusted to raise you with a decent taste in music either, so I’m helping you out. Elvis is a classic artist, one of my favourites, and I hope you grow up appreciating true talent, not the crap that their generations listen to. From Richard Webber, your wisest Godparent.” Mark and Lexie couldn’t contain the laughter, their faces aching by the time they’d gained composure. 

“At least the man is honest.” Lexie grinned. 

“I’ve gotta admit, Elvis is good. Little Sof is gonna have a pretty diverse taste when she’s older.” 

“As long as she’s into the Disney classics too, she can listen to whatever else she wants. I’ll keep hold of her, you hurry and open yours.” 

Mark stood up, the wrapped box half his height. He was clueless, as he was every year that Lexie had given him something. The two of them were always going to extra mile to think of something personal rather than expensive. Lexie hadn’t had much money when they first started dating and she was paying off her student debt, but he’d helped her out as much as she’d let him and now she was able to use more of salary for things like this. 

He had given her necklaces and spa packages but had never gone over the top and bought her anything extravagant like a car or a house. He admitted that he had been tempted with the dream house but he didn’t want to scare her off. Besides, now he had his own and he was working on incorporating her tastes into it too. Sloan had given it a feminine touch but it was still very much a bachelor pad.

“Lex, these are amazing!” His eyes lit up at the sight of the golf clubs. 

“You like the embroidery on the club head covers and the bag? I was going to go with your initials but you know, as a surgeon, your last name is kind of like your brand so I went with ‘Sloan’.” She smiled as he admired them. “There’s an envelope in the zip pocket, too.” 

“No way, a two year membership to the new country club?” His jaw dropped. He didn’t know those were even available to buy yet since it hadn’t actually opened and wasn’t due to until the middle of January, but Lexie had made some calls. 

“Yep, but that’s not it. There’s another envelope in your stocking, go get it.” 

He plucked it out suspiciously, wondering how she could possibly top that. Taking a ticket out, he was struggling to find his words. “Alexandra Caroline Grey.” 

“A VIP ticket to the U.S Open next year.” She smirked, feeling proud of herself for managing to get hold of one. Once again, she’d made last minute phone calls and it turned out that knowing so many world renowned surgeons was a plus. “Derek got the exact same gift, so you can spend your Sunday mornings at the country club together and you can go to Southampton for the Open in June, take a few days to yourselves.” 

“I don’t even know where to start, Lex. This definitely beats hitting golf balls off the roof.” He sat down on the floor next to her and placed a kiss on the back of her hand.

“Well, I know how much you love playing golf with Derek and you use it as stress relief. It’s been a long, tiring couple of years and you deserve a break sometimes so I just wanted you to have the resources to play more often.” 

“I don’t know how you’re gonna top this next year.” He nudged her arm and chuckled. “Thank you. Your turn, I’ll take Sofia for a second.” 

Lexie crawled to the tree and pulled her pile closer. “Did you wrap these?” 

“Arizona might’ve helped out a little.” He looked sheepish but anything was better than the year he had just shoved everything in a gift bag and put a sheet of tissue paper over the top. 

She opened the first gift and whipped her head round to look him. He’d gotten her a brand new MacBook in rose gold with the best specs possible. 

“Mark!”

“Before you say anything else, open the rest. I’m fully prepared for a lecture on the amount I spent on you but it’s okay, you spent a lot of money on me this year too.” 

Opening the rest, she found a selection of personalised notebooks, with her new full name on the front of each in a rose gold calligraphy font. Seeing ‘Lexie Grey-Sloan’ warmed her heart and she couldn’t wait to be reminded of that every time she used one. There was also a matching pen with refillable ink and a set of pencils and highlighters. It wasn’t until the final two gifts that she thought she might pass out. 

She’d been given a new iMac and the latest iPhone. Lexie had spent years with the basics because she didn’t need anything else, but this year, she’d started using Mark’s laptop whenever she could because hers was so slow. She had also casually mentioned a couple of times that she wished all of her devices were integrated so she could study and access her research notes no matter where she was.

“This is incredible, Mark. Thank you so much.” 

“We’re not done! Stand up again, we’re going upstairs. There’s one last thing.” He took her hand and lead her up, still holding Sofia. They stopped outside the guest bedroom and he made her cover her eyes for a second while he found the key. 

The door opened to reveal the guest bedroom. It had been completely transformed from a dull, beige room full of boxes to a beautiful, spacious home office. 

Three walls were white with a calming blue feature wall facing the desk. The desk had an empty space for her new iMac, there was a small couch and coffee table at the side of the room so she could use her laptop over there and take a break when she needed one, and he had framed an illustration of a dark blue scrub cap on the feature wall with a few personal photos surrounding it.

“You did all of this for me?” 

“I designed it while I was still on bed rest because of the coma and the broken ribs and all that, but April, Callie, Arizona, Jo, Mer, Jackson, they’ve all been working on it while we’ve been in Hawaii. Lexie, this is our home and I want you to be able to come home to us at the end of each shift. You don’t have to stay at the hospital all night to study anymore or go in on your days off and be commuting all the time. This is yours. You’re an incredible doctor and soon you’re gonna be a kick-ass neurosurgeon. That scrub cap,” He pointed at the illustration, “is gonna be yours before you know it.” 

—

Mark and Lexie spent the rest of the morning cleaning up stray wrapping paper and setting up Lexie’s new computers and phone in the office. Mark had taken over her chair and she’d sat on the couch with Sofia, admiring him. He had patience but not when it came to cables. Still, he had that look of concentration on his face that had lead her to fall in love with him. 

Now, they were back in their bedroom, getting ready to spend the rest of their day with Callie and Arizona. Sofia had been dressed in the outfit Bailey had proposed she wore that day and she was now sat back on Mark and Lexie’s bed, watching cartoons. Mark had complained that her dress was going to crease but had let it go when he saw how engrossed she was in Elena of Avalor.

He was so glad she seemed to like it, even if she didn’t understand it yet. Her heritage was important to Callie especially, and they were all over the moon that there was a young Latina princess for her to look up to. The princess was feisty, independent and strong-willed and they could only hope that with so many positive influences in her life at a young age, Sofia would be a force to be reckoned with.   
Mark wanted her to be a surgeon, obviously, but her mothers all wanted her to seek a world outside of textbooks and hospitals. They wanted her to be creative and not have to be holed up in libraries and worried about her grades all the time like they’d all been. Right now, though, his focus was on getting through the day without any tears. Happy tears from the parents were okay but he was desperately avoiding a tantrum from the little one. 

“This feels weird.” Lexie came out of the en-suite bathroom wearing dark jeans and a deep red sweater. She ran her palms down her thighs, looking uncomfortable. 

“You look beautiful.” Mark walked towards her and gripped her waist, kissing her gently. “But if you want to go in pyjamas, I’ll totally back you up. We can take our robes and slippers and everything, go all out.” 

“Thank you, Mark, but I’m fine with what I’m wearing.” She smiled softly, returning the kiss. “I just feel strange getting dressed up and leaving the house on Christmas day. When I was a kid, I always wore pyjamas, watched movies and stayed inside. I didn’t have these big events or hang out with friends until I met Meredith and it became a thing. Now we have huge home-cooked meals and competitive trivia games and I’m still not used to it.” 

“I wish I could say the same. One day we’ll have Christmas at home and we won’t move from the couch, but for today I guess we can manage. It’s just us, Callie and Arizona.”

“Hmm. You’re right, and it always ends up being more fun anyway.” Lexie rested her head on his shoulder and let him stroke her hair, being careful not to run his hands through it and ruin the curls she’d mastered. 

“We’ve gotta get moving.” Mark looked at his watch and saw that it was almost ten, which meant if they didn’t at least get in the car in the next ten minutes, they’d be moaned at excessively upon arrival. “Love you, Little Grey.”

“Love you too. You get Sofia, I’ll get the gifts.”


End file.
